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I agree with the sentiment in another review: There was too much usage of the "f" word added in, like it was borrowed from the standup of George Carlin. However, as someone who doesn't like sports, doesn't gamble, and doesn't even like Al Pacino, I still found the film very interesting in terms of showing how the system works and doesn't, and how gamblers do and don't win.
Two For The Money is mostly about betting on football. Matthew McConaughey portrays Brandon Lang, a young gifted guy who can predict the winner of college football games. Brandon has somewhat of a sixth sense or he can be thought of as a seer or prophet in predicting football outcomes. Al Pacino, portrays Walter Abrams, who finds and teaches Brandon how to make both of them money. What they do is legal; they predict the games and earn money by giving sports tips. Rene Russo, portrays Toni, Walter's wife; She is one insightful woman who is aware of McConaughey being sucked in by her husband. Paccino's Walter Abrams comes across as malicious, somewhat like his characters in Scent of a Woman and the TV drama that I thought was great, Angels in America in which he portrays a gay guy.
If you like movies with an overriding theme and a redemptive purpose, then a movie like this is a good one. If you're out to be entertained, forget it. Pacino(Walter Abrams) is like many actors who have a tendency to merely play themselves. Al is a little better at it than most, however. If he's not the best actor on the scene today, he surely is right at the top.
The redemptive purpose of the movie is the underlying theme of the pervasiveness of gambling in our society and its pitfalls. We don't see the little old ladies with blue hair hanging over the slots in Vegas or Reno in this movie. But, we might as well. Football is especially vulnerable to the sorts of pitfalls that Pacino dotes on.
A Priest buddy of mine, that I'm sure came from a New York Mafia family, told me once that football is probably the most corrupt of all sports in terms of gambling. Why? It all has to do mostly with points. A referee can call a crucial penalty at a particular spot and change the game. For instance, a team is within field goal range; and, if they make it, win or put three points on the board; If the referee decides the field goal is no good; or, in other instances, a team or player gets a penalty, everything is changed. Who is to know?
Gambling is a problem in our society, let's face it. Most of those who do it are like me, simply dropping a few coins in the slots. But what about the gambling addict. Stories and movies abound where the addict drives himself and his family members to ruin- This points out the problems of Pacino's character in the movie because Walter not only runs a business based on gambling but is also a gambling addict.
The states have also pinned hopes on the money that gambling brings, lotteries in particular. In California, there was a time that we had the best schools in America; now, they rank near the bottom. The California lottery was established to improve the school system; Schools are now worse; Local communities no longer fund the schools, thinking the lottery will provide the monies necessary.
Two for the
Money wasn't meant to be a social message, but it was. Wait for the video.
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